Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method, implemented by a server computer system, the method comprising: identifying, by the server computer system, a set of items to be delivered to a mobile computing device of a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein the set of items was subscribed to or pre-ordered by a user of the mobile computing device; creating, by the server computer system, a schedule for the mobile computing device based on availability of each item in the set of items for delivery to the plurality of mobile computing devices, a time zone of the mobile computing device, and a behavior of the user of the mobile computing device, wherein creating the schedule comprises creating a list of delivery times including at least one merged delivery time for two or more of the set of items, wherein the behavior of the user comprises a time the user interacts with the mobile computing device; and allowing, by the server computer system, the mobile computing device to obtain items from the set of items in accordance with the schedule.
A server system manages scheduled delivery of digital items (content, instructions, updates) to mobile devices. For each device, the server identifies items subscribed to or pre-ordered by the user. It then creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, the device's time zone, and user behavior (device interaction times). The schedule includes delivery times and merges deliveries of multiple items into single delivery times. The server allows the device to retrieve items according to this schedule.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein allowing the mobile computing device to obtain the items from the set of items in accordance with the schedule comprises: placing the schedule in a queue; notifying the mobile computing device about the schedule; allowing the mobile computing device to obtain the schedule from the queue; and when items are ready for delivery, placing the items in the queue for the mobile computing device.
To deliver items according to the schedule (which includes item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), the server places the schedule in a queue, notifies the mobile device, and lets the device retrieve the schedule from the queue. When individual items are ready, they are placed in the same queue for the device to pick up according to the scheduled times.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein allowing the mobile computing device to obtain the items from the set of items in accordance with the schedule comprises: when items are ready for delivery, placing the items in a queue; and at a time specified in the schedule, notifying the mobile computing device about one or more items in the queue to facilitate a download of the one or more items by the corresponding mobile computing device.
The server delivers items according to the schedule (which includes item availability, device time zone, and user behavior) by placing them in a queue when they are ready. At a specified time in the schedule, the server notifies the device about the items in the queue, prompting the device to download those specific items.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the schedule is created for the mobile computing device upon a predefined event, the predefined event being any one of a request of the mobile computing device for a first item, an addition of a new item to the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, a cancellation of an existing item from the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, a change of the time zone of the mobile computing device, a change of a delivery time of an existing item from the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, and a change in the behavior of the user of the mobile computing device.
The delivery schedule (which includes item availability, device time zone, and user behavior) is regenerated for a mobile device upon specific events, including: a device request for an item, the addition of a new item to the subscription, cancellation of an existing item, a change in the device's time zone, a change in a delivery time of an item, or a change in the user's device usage patterns.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein an item is any one of a content item, an instruction, a schedule and a software update.
The digital items delivered based on schedule include content (newspapers, magazines, newsfeeds, blogs, podcasts, videos, audio), instructions, schedules, and software updates. The server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, the device's time zone, and user behavior (device interaction times). The schedule includes delivery times and merges deliveries of multiple items into single delivery times. The server allows the device to retrieve items according to this schedule.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the content item comprises a subscription, the subscription being any one of a newspaper, a magazine, a newsfeed, a blog feed, a podcast, a periodic video item, and a periodic audio item.
The digital content delivered on a schedule (where the server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, the device's time zone, and user behavior) includes subscriptions such as newspapers, magazines, newsfeeds, blog feeds, podcasts, periodic video items, and periodic audio items.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the schedule for the mobile computing device comprises: identifying a delivery time for each item in the set of items associated with the mobile computing device; identifying, in the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, one or more groups of two or more of the set of items that have similar delivery times; for each of the one or more groups, identifying a corresponding merged delivery time; creating the list of delivery times including at least one of the corresponding merged delivery times and one or more delivery times of the remaining items in the set of items that are not part of the one or more groups; identifying a delivery window for each delivery time in the list; and distributing delivery times within delivery windows for the mobile computing device.
To create a delivery schedule (considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), the server identifies individual delivery times for each item, groups items with similar delivery times, merges delivery times within each group into a single time. It creates a list including the merged times and remaining individual delivery times. The server assigns a delivery window to each delivery time and distributes the delivery times within those windows for the specific mobile device.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein creating the schedule based on the time zone of the mobile computing device comprises: ensuring that a delivery time of an item associated with the mobile computing device is before a delivery deadline of the item in a local time of the mobile computing device; and mapping the delivery time of the item to a usage of the mobile computing device in accordance with the local time of the mobile computing device.
When creating a delivery schedule based on the device time zone (where the server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior, including merging delivery times), the server ensures item delivery occurs before any deadline in the device's local time. The system then maps the delivery time to device usage patterns based on the local time.
9. The method of claim 7 further comprising: after creating the list of delivery times, determining that a set of delivery times for an item will result in a schedule size greater than a threshold; adjusting the schedule size by adding one or more delivery times for the item to the schedule to simplify a representation of the schedule, wherein an adjustment of the schedule size is performed until the size of the schedule no longer exceeds the threshold.
After creating a delivery schedule with merged delivery times (considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), the server checks if the schedule size exceeds a threshold. If it does, the server adjusts the schedule by adding more delivery times for an item to simplify the schedule's representation. Schedule size adjustments are repeated until the schedule size is under the set threshold.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the schedule for the mobile computing device comprises: identifying a plurality of items available to the plurality of mobile computing devices; identifying a delivery time for each item; identifying, in the plurality of items, one or more groups of two or more of the set of items that have similar delivery times; for each of the one or more groups, identifying a corresponding merged delivery time; creating a master schedule for the plurality of mobile computing devices, the master schedule including at least one of the corresponding merged delivery times and one or more delivery times of the remaining items in the set of items that are not part of the one or more groups; adding a delivery window to each delivery time in the master schedule; creating a plurality of time zone schedules for different time zones using the master schedule; and customizing the plurality of time zone schedules for mobile computing devices in corresponding time zones.
The server creates a master delivery schedule for multiple devices by identifying delivery times for available items, grouping items with similar delivery times, and merging delivery times within each group into a single time. The master schedule includes merged times and remaining individual delivery times, with a delivery window for each. The server creates time zone-specific schedules based on the master schedule and customizes these schedules for devices in their respective time zones.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining that a delivery of an item is delayed; placing a delayed delivery notification in a queue; and removing the delayed notification from the queue after the delayed notification is obtained by the mobile computing device.
If the server determines that item delivery is delayed (where the server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), it places a delayed delivery notification in a queue. The server then removes the notification from the queue once the mobile device has retrieved it.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: determining a modified delivery time of the delayed item for the mobile computing device; and including the modified delivery time in the delayed delivery notification.
If a delivery is delayed (where the server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), the server determines a new delivery time for the delayed item and includes the modified delivery time in a delayed delivery notification placed in a queue. The server then removes the notification from the queue once the mobile device has retrieved it.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying an item available for delivery; identifying a set of mobile computing devices associated with the item; placing the item available for delivery in a queue for each mobile computing device from the set; and removing the item from the queue after the mobile computing device downloads the item from the queue or after a predetermined time interval has expired.
The server identifies an item available for delivery and the associated devices. The server places the item in a queue for each device associated with the item. It removes the item from the queue once the device downloads it, or after a set time interval has passed.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: determining whether any mobile computing device from the set does not have a schedule; and sending a notification to obtain the item from the queue to mobile computing devices from the set that do not have a schedule.
The server identifies an item available for delivery, places it in a queue for associated devices, and removes it after download or a timeout. The server checks if any of the associated devices *lack* a delivery schedule (where the server creates a delivery schedule considering item availability, device time zone, and user behavior). The server then sends a notification to these unscheduled devices, prompting them to obtain the item from the queue.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a server computer system, cause the server computer system to perform operations comprising: creating, by the server computer system, a schedule for a mobile computing device of a plurality of mobile computing devices based on availability of each item in a set of items associated with the mobile computing device for delivery to the mobile computing device, a time zone of the mobile computing device, and a behavior of a user of the mobile computing device, wherein creating the schedule comprises creating a list of delivery times including at least one merged delivery time for two or more of the set of items, wherein the behavior of the user comprises a time the user interacts with the mobile computing device, wherein the set of items was subscribed to or pre-ordered by the user of the mobile computing device; providing, by the server computer system, the schedule to the mobile computing device; as items of the set of items become available for delivery, placing, by the server computer system, the items in a queue; and upon receiving a request of the mobile computing device at a delivery time specified in the schedule, allowing, by the server computer system, the mobile computing device to obtain items associated with the mobile computing device that are currently placed in the queue.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium contains instructions for a server to manage scheduled item delivery to mobile devices. The server creates a delivery schedule based on item availability, the device's time zone, and user behavior (device interaction times), merging deliveries of multiple items into single delivery times. The schedule is provided to the device. As items become available, they are placed in a queue. Upon receiving a device request at a scheduled delivery time, the server allows the device to retrieve items currently in the queue.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein a schedule is created for a mobile computing device upon a predefined event, the predefined event being any one of a request of a mobile computing device for a first item, an addition of a new item to the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, a cancellation of an existing item from the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, a change of the time zone of the mobile computing device, a change of a delivery time of an existing item from the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, and a change in the behavior of the user of the mobile computing device.
The computer-readable storage medium (for managing scheduled item delivery based on item availability, device time zone, and user behavior) creates a schedule for a device when one of these events occurs: a device requests an item, a new item is added to the subscription, an item is cancelled, the device's time zone changes, the delivery time of an item changes, or the user's device usage changes.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein creating the schedule for each of the plurality of mobile computing devices comprises: identifying a delivery time for each item in the set of items associated with the mobile computing device; identifying, in the set of items associated with the mobile computing device, one or more groups of two or more of the set of items that have similar delivery times; for each of the one or more groups, identifying a corresponding merged delivery time; creating the list of delivery times including at least one of the corresponding merged delivery times and one or more delivery times of the remaining items in the set of items that are not part of the one or more groups; identifying a delivery window for each delivery time in the list; and distributing delivery times within delivery windows for the mobile computing device.
When the computer-readable storage medium creates schedules for multiple devices (based on item availability, device time zone, and user behavior), it identifies delivery times for each item, groups items with similar delivery times, merges delivery times within each group into a single time, creates a delivery time list (merged and individual times), assigns delivery windows to each time, and distributes delivery times within those windows.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein creating the schedule based on the time zone of the mobile computing device comprises: ensuring that a delivery time of an item associated with the mobile computing device is before a delivery deadline of the item in a local time of the mobile computing device; and mapping the delivery time of the item to a usage of the mobile computing device in accordance with the local time of the mobile computing device.
When the computer-readable storage medium creates a delivery schedule based on device time zone (where the schedule is based on item availability, device time zone, and user behavior, including merging delivery times), it ensures that item delivery occurs before any deadline in the device's local time. Then, it maps delivery times to device usage patterns based on the device's local time.
19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise: determining that a delivery of an item is delayed; placing a delayed delivery notification in the queue; and removing the delayed notification from the queue after the delayed notification is obtained by the mobile computing device.
The computer-readable storage medium (for managing scheduled item delivery based on item availability, device time zone, and user behavior) also handles delivery delays. When a delivery is delayed, a delayed delivery notification is placed in a queue, and the notification is removed from the queue after the device retrieves it.
20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise: identifying an item available for delivery; identifying a set of mobile computing devices associated with the item; placing the item available for delivery in the queue for each mobile computing device from the set; and removing the item from the queue after the mobile computing device downloads the item from the queue or after a predetermined time interval has expired.
The computer-readable storage medium (for managing scheduled item delivery based on item availability, device time zone, and user behavior) can also identify an item available for delivery, identify the set of associated devices, and place the item in a queue for each device. It removes the item from the queue once a device downloads it, or after a predetermined time interval expires.
Unknown
October 21, 2014
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